Electric switch



J1me 1956 F". G, TORLEY ET AL 2,751,469

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed June 28, 1951 27 INVENTOR.

fesasw/ex' 6. Tale/.5 Y mm Q7 Z MAL/AM J cZe. BEAUB/EN United States Patent O 2,751,469 ELECTRIC SWITCH Continuation of application Serial No. 234,018, June 28,

1951. This a plication Au st 2 1952 S" l N 302,307 p gu em Claims. (Cl. 200-154) This invention relates to an electric switch and more particularly to the tumbler type of an electric switch, and is a continuation of our copending application Ser. No. 234,018, filed June 28, 1951, now abandoned.

An object of the present invention is to make an elec-' tric switch of as few and simple parts as possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch which is primarily composed of molded plastic parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a switch biased to one position and operable to another position, said switch having means effecting quick movement to each of said positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the operating member of an electric switch, which is mounted for limited rotary movement in opposite directions, with bias detent means which serves, after the operating member has moved a certain angular distance in either direction, to continue the limited rotary movement of the operating member with a snap action.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the novel switch structure.

Fig. 2 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and showing the switch part in open position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 partly in section and partly in elevation and showing the switch in a closed position.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings the switch embodies a body member or housing 20 made of molded insulating material and has a passage 21 extending from one end and terminating short of the other end to provide an end wall 22 having an elongated opening 25 therein. The body is provided with a pair of apertured lugs 23 which are used to secure the switch on a support by screws or other suitable fastening means, not shown. The passage is formed so as to provide a pair of plane parallel side walls 26 and 27 and these side walls are provided with extensions 28 having aligned openings 29 to receive a pin or rivet 30. Mounted on this rivet between the side walls 26 and 27 is a hand operating member or disc 31. This hand operating member extends from the housing and has an extension 32 so as to be engaged by the hand of the person operating the switch. A portion of the operatin g member 31 extends within the housing The operating member 31 is formed wlth radial grooves 33 on opposite faces thereof. Each groove receives a resilient contact strip 34 the free ends of which are formed 2,751 ,469 Patented June 19, 1956 with a detent 35. The following ends of the strip are pref erably bent out of normal plane of the strip in a manner so that they extend toward each other beyond the periph= eral edge of the disc or operating member 31. The strips are held in their respective grooves by a rivet 36. The rivet mechanically and electricaly connects the strips together, as illustrated in Fig. 7, thus the strips and rivets 36 form a bridging member. The operating member 31 is formed with a radial recess or pocket 40 which receives a coiled spring 41 having one end which is seated against the bottom of the pocket 40 while the other erid extends into and engages the bottom of a cup-shaped detent 42 slidably in the pocket to move the detent outwardly with respect to the operating member.

A flat plate 45 of molded insulating material is received in the passage 25. This plate is formed with grooves 46 and 47, said grooves being located on opposite faces of the plate 45. The groove 46 extends angulariy with respect to the groove 47 so that the ends of the two grooves are directly opposite each other. The groove 46 receives a contact strip 48 and is secured at one end by a rivet 49 that passes through an opening in the plate. A terminal 51? disposed on the opposite face of the plate is also secured to the plate by a rivet. The groove 47 receives a contact strip 51 and is secured at one end by a rivet 52 that passes through an opening in the plate and secures a terminal 53 on the otherside of the plate. The free ends of the strips 48 and 51 lay flat in their respective grooves and flush with the outer surfaces of the plate 45.

The inner end of the plate 45 has an arcuate recess 55 the lower half portion of the recess, as viewed in the Figs. 3 and 5 has a contour approximately the shape of the letter W said contour including an apex 56, a pair" of divergent cam surfaces 57 and 58, and like upward arcuate portions or abutments 59 and 60 at the respective extremities of the cam surfaces. The assembly,- including the plate 45 and the contacts 48 and 51, is ins'erted in the housing through the opening 25 with the ends located within the housing. The plate 45 is secured to the housing by suitable fastening means, such as, rivets 61.

After the plate is secured to the housing the disc 61" operating member 31 is assembled with the housing with the free ends of the strips straddling the plate 45, Fig. 7, and the detent in one or the other of its extreme positions as best illustrated in Fig. 3 or Fig. 5. In Fig. 3 the switch is shown in open position while in Fig. 5 the switch is shown in closed position.

In operation of the switch it follows that upon rotation of the disc 31 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 3, the detent will engage the cam surface 57 compressing the spring 41 until the detent reaches the apex 55. As soon as the detent passes the apex 56 the spring will expand and continue the movement of the operating lever with a quick movement until the detent 42 engages the stop or abutment 60. The tension of the spring tends to hold the operating lever and the switch contacts in closed position or open position. As mentioned heretofore the free ends of the contacts 34 are biased toward each other and the free ends of the contacts 48 and 51 are flush with the outer faces of the plate. Thus when the spherical detents 35 of the bridging member slide over the plate and into engagement with the contacts 48, 51, the spherical portions 35 will make contact with the ends of the contacts 48, 51 into their respective grooves against the urging force of said flexed ends. As a consequence a rubbing action between the bridging contacts and the relative stationary contact is produced to provide clean surfaces and the biasing of all of the contacts will assure a good electrical engagement between the contacts.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electric switch comprising, a housing having a longitudinal passage therethrough; a plate of insulating material fixed to the housing and having one end 'extending into the passage; stationary electrical contact means carried by the plate and having end portions disposed on opposite sides of the plate and located within the passage; a disc-like operating member extending into the passage and rotatably mounted on the housing; electric bridging means carried by the operating member and adapted to engage end portions of said contact means; and means operable upon movement of an operating member a predetermined distance for continuing the limited rotary movement of the operating member in either direction, said means having a curved apex portion including cam means on the end of theplate Within the passage and a cooperable biased member movable with the operating member.-

2. An electric switch comprising, a one-piece body of molded insulating material formed with a longitudinal passage therethrough; a plate of non-conducting material fixed to the body and having one end extending into the passage; stationary electric contact means carried by the plate and having end portions disposed on opposite sides of the plate and located within the passage; a rotary plate-like member rotatably mounted for limited rotary movement in opposite directions on the body, movable contact means carried by the rotary member adapted to engage said stationary contact means in one position of therotary member and for forming a disengagement therewith in another position; and means operable upon movement of the rotary member a predetermined distance for continuing the limited rotary movement of the member with a snap action in each direction, said means including a pair of spaced stop means having a curved apex portiontherebetween on the end of the plate within the passage and a spring urged member carried by the rotary member and adapted to engage alternately the cam surfaces.

3. A snap action switch mechanism comprising in combination, a housing; a disc-shaped pivoted member rotatably carried'by the housing; a snap action device comprising a yieldable member and a cooperating cam surface having a curved apex portion, one of which is associated with the housing and the other of which is associated the pivoted member for causing the pivoted member to move over said apex and quickly to at least two positions relative to the housing and to be yieldably retained in either of said positions; and a switch with said housing comprising fixed and movable contacts, said movable contacts being directly controlled .and carried by said pivoted member.

4. A snap action switch mechanism comprising in combination, a housing including two side portions with. a space therebetween, a disc shaped pivoted member rotatably mounted in the side portions; a plate carried by the housing including a cam surface having a pair of spaced stops and a curved apex therebetween; a spring pressed detent mounted in the pivoted member and cooperating with the cam surface for causing the pivoted memher to move over said apex and quickly toward said stop means and yieldably hold said member in engagement with said stop means; and a switch within said housing comprising fixed and movable contacts said movable contacts being directly controlled and carried by said pivoted member.

5. A snap action switch mechanism comprising in combination; a housing including two side portions with a space therebetween; a disc shaped actuator rotatably mounted in the side portions and movable back and forth in said space including; a pair of spaced stops and a rounded apex intermediate said stop means associated with the housing and located in said space; a springpressed detent mounted on said actuator for engagement with said cam surface for causing the actuator to move over said apex and quickly toward said stop means and to hold yieldingly the actuator in either of said positions; and a swtich within said housing comprising fixed and movable contacts, said movable contacts being carried by the actuator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,892,537 Prager Dec. 27, 1932 2,016,340 Morris Oct. 8, 1935 2,117,966 Lobl May 17, 1933 2,479,896 Batchcllcr Aug. 23, 1949 2,614,196 Wilson Oct. 14, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 443.867 Germany ..1 May 6, 192] 

